Lorinda Norton
February 25th, 2004, 12:31 PM
subtitle: "The Art of Moviemaking (Not the Business)" by Buck Houghton.
This title caught my eye in the bookstore because an industry guy in this area, after talking with me about video production, said, "I think you should consider taking on the role of producer, and let the others do the shooting, editing, etc." (Just what was he trying to say there?... :) My hope in reading it was that I could transfer principles to small-time video production.
This book was a great read, because it touched on all the various jobs in filmmaking through the eyes of the producer who knows when to be involved--and when to stay out of the way. Mr. Houghton used a production budget sheet as his table of contents, allowing each item to be his chapter headings. So, the chapters included: the story; the writer and screenplay; the director; the cast; etc.
Even though I've always admired and respected the work of the assistant director, the cameraman, the gaffer, the guy who says where to park the trucks on location--I'll never watch a movie quite the same again. Each person, and there are so many, is so valuable!
A lot of people on this forum know this stuff already, but for folks like me who may never have the opportunity to work on a Hollywood set or go to film school, this enlightening and entertaining book might be the next best thing!
This title caught my eye in the bookstore because an industry guy in this area, after talking with me about video production, said, "I think you should consider taking on the role of producer, and let the others do the shooting, editing, etc." (Just what was he trying to say there?... :) My hope in reading it was that I could transfer principles to small-time video production.
This book was a great read, because it touched on all the various jobs in filmmaking through the eyes of the producer who knows when to be involved--and when to stay out of the way. Mr. Houghton used a production budget sheet as his table of contents, allowing each item to be his chapter headings. So, the chapters included: the story; the writer and screenplay; the director; the cast; etc.
Even though I've always admired and respected the work of the assistant director, the cameraman, the gaffer, the guy who says where to park the trucks on location--I'll never watch a movie quite the same again. Each person, and there are so many, is so valuable!
A lot of people on this forum know this stuff already, but for folks like me who may never have the opportunity to work on a Hollywood set or go to film school, this enlightening and entertaining book might be the next best thing!